𝙿𝙴𝙽𝙼𝙰𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿 - 𝚃. 𝚂𝙷𝙴𝙻𝙱𝚈

19

When there was a hammering at the door, Juliet was expecting many things but a furious Polly Gray was not it.

"Come on," Polly says.

"Where are we going?"

"Grace is the rat," Polly says. "And Thomas told me you've had your suspicions for a while"

At Polly's words, Juliet grabs her coat and slides her small gun into the pocket and Polly nods in approval.

The duo throws open the doors to the Garrison to see Grace scrambling for her belongings. Juliet clears her throat and Grace's body tenses before she slowly turns to face Juliet and Polly who were staring at her, their gazes full of fury.

"Going for good?" Polly asks.

"I heard there was trouble," Grace says.

"Instinct's a funny thing," Polly says. "See, normally I can tell about a person, but with you, you hide it well"

"But not well enough," Juliet says. "You see I'm a writer so I've learnt how to watch everything and you, once I began watching you, it was clear what you were up to"

"Look, the fighting's about to begin," Grace says and Juliet picks up the waver in the blonde's voice. "We should get out of here"

Fear is shackles, fear is a knife in the gut slowly twisted, fear is a constant hammer on the head. But fear is part of being human, it's the precursor to bravery. We need it, it wakes us up to what needs to be done.

"We know who you are," Polly says. "Tommy knows as well. Turned out that copper as good as told him this morning"

"But we wanted to hear it from your own lips," Juliet says.

Grace turns with a gun in her grip, pointing at the Shelby matriarch's head. But the sound of the safety being removed on a gun causes Grace's head to turn and she sees Juliet had a gun pointed directly at her face.

"I am an agent of the Crown," Grace says. "I have the power to arrest and the right to use force. So please, step out of my way,"

"Like I say, instinct's a funny thing. You fell for Tommy for real, didn't you?" Polly asks.

"This gun is loaded," Grace says.

"So is mine," Juliet says. "And I assure you, I don't miss"

"I'm not afraid of you," Polly says. "I feel sorry for you. Slip of a thing. Thought you'd come in here and stitch us all up. I mean, we've had some copper's narks in here, but you- You're the queen of them all. So who are you?"

"Rich girl, I'd guess," Juliet says. "Unionist. Ulster Volunteer"

"You thought, Fenians, communists, low people," Polly says. "They're all the same. Scum. Then you met Tommy"

"I'll fight you with my fists and show you how a rich girl fights"

"Grace," Juliet tuts, a mockingly disappointed tone in her voice. "Now be real, you know you would win and it wouldn't be you"

"I'm from a tough family, too," Grace says.

"Nah," Polly shakes her head. "We women have more sense. Why don't you pour us a drink?"

"So is Polly right?" Juliet asks. "Did you fall for Tommy?"

"Yes, I did,"

"Then I pity you," Juliet says. "Because I'm afraid another woman is the object of his affections and it's not you"

"You think he'll try to kill me?"

"That's too soft," Polly says, shaking her head.

"Soft?"

"Soft. Like you," Polly says. "You saved his life the night the coppers came. You lied about him leaving with Juliet. That's why we're drinking, not fighting. We owe you"

"What was he like? Before France?" Grace asks.

"He laughed. A lot. He wanted to work with horses," Polly says. "I see slips of the boy he once was but it's rare and due to one woman"

Polly looks to Juliet who offers the woman a small smile.

"He won medals?" Grace asks.

"Threw them in the cut," Polly says. "Not a single man came back the same. You know, after all of this is over, he might forgive you. He might take you in. Can never tell with men. But I should tell you something. I will never forgive you. Or accept you. Or take you in. And it's me who runs the business of the heart in this family. And as far as I'm concerned, you're a snitch from the parish. And if you're not gone from this city by tomorrow, I'll kill you myself"

"Now go," Juliet says.

"Maybe what really upsets you is the thought that one day you might lose him," Grace says, her eyes on Juliet. "Lose him to another. One less tainted by the darkness"

"I've done some pretty horrible things to survive but unlike you, poor, delicate Grace, I don't ignore it. I deal with it," Juliet says. "Now leave because unlike Polly, I didn't promise you until tomorrow"